The 12th edition of the One-Day International World Cup begins on May 30, as the marquee tournament returns to where it all began back in 1975. In what will be the fifth World Cup held in England, the 10 best teams in the game will take on each other in a round-robin format similar to the 1992 edition. The top four will then play the semi-finals before the summit clash to decide the champions at the Home of Cricket, Lord’s, on 14 July.
Australia have found form in recent times and will start their title defence as a confident unit while England and India, No 1 and 2 in the current rankings, start as favourites as well.
The final cut-off to announce the provisional 15-member squads for the tournament in 23 April, with teams allowed to make potential changes up until 23 May.
As the teams announce their squads, we take a look at how various teams shape up here.
(This article has been updated on May 23, after England, South Africa and Pakistan announced changes to their preliminary squads.)
India
India named a tried and tested squad for the World Cup led by Virat Kohli with selectors going for experience in all the slots for the marquee 50-over event.
Dinesh Karthik, 33, was given the second wicketkeeper’s slot over rising 21-year-old star Rishabh Pant, ending days of speculation over the role. Vijay Shankar’s inclusion means he will probably be the first choice number four batsman, a position which India has struggle to fill permanently. Karthik has not been on form in recent games, but selectors said they value his performance under pressure over the years.
There were doubts over Kedar Jadhav’s participation at the World Cup after he suffered a shoulder injury during the Indian Premier League, but the middle-order batsman and part-time off-spinner was given the all-clear after he passed the fitness tests.
India’s World Cup squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami.
More about India’s squad here.
Australia
Steve Smith and David Warner completed their remarkable comeback from the ball-tampering scandal that rocked cricket when they were selected in defending champion Australia’s World Cup squad. But there was no room for Josh Hazlewood or Peter Handscomb at the tournament in England and Wales.
It is the first call-up for the former captain and his deputy since the expiry last month of year-long bans for their part in “sandpapergate” in Cape Town that had wide repercussions for Australian cricket.
Australia’s recent red-hot form has been built on the back of a rock-solid opening partnership between Finch and Usman Khawaja.
Australia’s World Cup squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa.
More about Australia’s squad here.
New Zealand
New Zealand opted for experience in a 15-man squad, with rookie Tom Blundell’s inclusion as back-up wicketkeeper the only real surprise.
The Black Caps hope to shed their tag as valiant losers and claim the title after exiting in the semi-finals six times and suffering a heavy defeat to Australia in their only appearance in the final four years ago.
Wellington keeper Blundell was selected after Tim Siefert, the regular back-up to first-choice gloveman Tom Latham, broke his finger in a domestic match. Mitchell Santner will be the New Zealanders’ primary spinner, with Ish Sodhi edging Todd Astle to claim the second slow bowling position.
New Zealand’s World Cup squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Blundell (wk), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wk), Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls (wk), Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
More about New Zealand’s squad here.
Bangladesh
Uncapped pace bowler Abu Jayed and batsman Mosaddek Hossain, who last played for Bangladesh at the Asia Cup in September, got the nod as Bangladesh named an otherwise experienced 15-man squad for the cricket World Cup.
Bangladesh’s World Cup squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das (wk), Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mithun (wk), Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed.
More about Bangladesh’s squad here.
England
Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan did not find a place in England’s preliminary 15-man World Cup squad although the duo were named for the One-Day International games against Pakistan and Ireland in the lead-up to the tournament.
Archer, though, clawed his way into the World Cup squad at the last moment after impressive performances in IPL 2019 and in the series against Pakistan and Ireland. He replaced David Willey in the 15-member squad.
England made two other changes to their preliminary squad, with Joe Denly and Alex Hales being replaced by Liam Dawson and James Vince.
Opener Hales has been dropped from England’s provisional 15-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, shortly after being handed a 21-day ban over the use of recreational drugs.
According to a statement issued by the England Cricket Board, the decision was taken “having considered what is in the best interests of the England team.”
England’s World Cup squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jos Buttler (wk), Tom Curran, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, James Vince, Liam Dawson.
More about England’s squad here.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka dumped established stars including former captain Dinesh Chandimal to hand batsman Lahiru Thirimanne and leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay a place. Chandimal, who was one-day captain until last October, wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, off-spinner Akila Dananjaya, openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Upul Tharanga were all left out of the 15-man squad.
Thirimanne and Vandersay along with all-rounders Milinda Siriwardana and Jeevan Mendis got places despite not playing in the one-day team for more than a year. Left-handed batsman Dimuth Karunaratne, who was appointed captain on Wednesday, last played an ODI in March 2015.
Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera (wk), Kusal Mendis (wk), Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffery Vandersay, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana.
More about Sri Lanka’s squad here
South Africa
Faf du Plessis will lead a Proteas squad that contains a good mix of players with proven World Cup experience and a new generation of exciting talent at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. There was a question mark over Hashim Amla in the days leading up to the selection meeting but the veteran has made the cut.
Five of the players – Du Plessis himself, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir and Dale Steyn – made their World Cup debuts at the tournament on the sub-continent in 2011 and are thus playing in their third World Cup. Quinton de Kock and David Miller made their debuts in the 2015 tournament in Australia and will be going to the World Cup for the second time.
The Proteas made a one change to their preliminary squad, with Anrich Nortje being replaced by Chris Morris. Right-arm pacer Nortje was ruled out after suffering a fracture in his right thumb during a practice session earlier this month.
South Africa’s World Cup squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
More about South Africa’s squad here.
Pakistan
The former champions have been forced to go for experience over form after a 4-0 drubbing against England in the final ODI series before the World Cup and have recalled struggling Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz along with middle-order batsman Asif Ali in the final 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Asif Ali, who lost his 18-month-old daughter to cancer, was part of the 17 to face England but not the 15 to contest the World Cup.
While Amir was always in the hunt despite being left out of the provisional squad, Riaz inclusion was a bit of a surprise as he last played a ODI for Pakistan back in June 2017 against India in the ICC Champions Trophy.
The trio replaces left-arm pacer Junaid Khan, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and batsman Abid Ali from the provisional squad.
Pakistan’s World Cup squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt,wk), Asif Ali, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz.
More about Pakistan’s squad here.
Afghanistan
Spin sensation Rashid Khan and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi will spearhead Afghanistan’s charge at the World Cup.
Seaming all-rounder Gulbadin Naib will captain the side when they head to England and Wales for the global showpiece which begins on May 30, the Afghanistan Cricket Board said. The decision to remove Asghar Afghan from captaincy had created controversy earlier, with Khan and Nabi calling the selectors out for a major decision so close to the marquee event.
Joining the spin attack of Khan and Nabi – who led Afghanistan in their first World Cup four years ago – will be 18-year-old mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Fast bowler Hamid Hasan returns for the first time since 2017 because of fitness issues alongside other frontline quicks Dawlat Zadran and Aftab Alam.
Naib had earlier this month been announced as captain, replacing Asghar who has still been included in the squad.
Afghanistan open their World Cup campaign against Australia in Bristol on June 1 and are regarded as dark horses, having beaten former champions Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup last year as well as forcing a tie with giants India.
Afghanistan’s World Cup squad: Gulbadin Naib (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hasan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Read more about Afghanistan’s squad here.
West Indies
Andre Russell, who last featured in an ODI during July 2018 found a place in West Indies’ preliminary 15-man squad for the World Cup. However, there was no place for the likes of Kieron Pollard, Devendra Bishoo, Keemo Paul and the injured Alzarri Joseph.
Darren Bravo, Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer form the core of the middle-order with plenty of all-round options such as Russell, Holder, Carlos Brathwaite and Fabian Allen. Fast bowlers Sheldon Cottrell and Shannon Gabriel also received call-ups in a pace attack consisting of Kemar Roach and Oshane Thomas.
West Indies’ World Cup squad: Jason Holder (capt), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Carlos Brathwaite, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope (wk), Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas.
Read more about West Indies’ squad here.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!